Coronavirus: New Canaan: ‘Light at the end of the tunnel’

Staff report

Updated
9:01 pm EDT, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Parking spaces have been easier to find on Elm Street as more and more residents stay home, isolating to avoid the coronavirus pandemic. New Canaan’s Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler says “we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” of the pandemic, and when it comes to the State of Connecticut, and the town re-opening their economies.

Parking spaces have been easier to find on Elm Street as more and more residents stay home, isolating to avoid the coronavirus pandemic. New Canaan’s Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler says

Parking spaces have been easier to find on Elm Street as more and more residents stay home, isolating to avoid the coronavirus pandemic. New Canaan’s Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler says “we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel,” of the pandemic, and when it comes to the State of Connecticut, and the town re-opening their economies.

Parking spaces have been easier to find on Elm Street as more and more residents stay home, isolating to avoid the coronavirus pandemic. New Canaan’s Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler says

There is “light at the end of the tunnel with respect to re-opening parts of our economy,” in New Canaan, according to the town’s Director of Emergency Management Michael Handler in his nightly call to town residents for Thursday, April 30, 2020.

“As the state approaches its eighth day of declining hospitalizations, we are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel with respect to re-opening parts of our economy,” Handler also said.

The town is going to be a resource that businesses can utilize when it comes to being advised, and supported in this coming action, which the town has been gearing its coronavirus pandemic efforts around.

“As I have mentioned previously, we have been planning for this, and will be ready to advise, and support, our businesses when the time comes for them to re-open,” Handler also said.

“Without giving any specifics, the gov(ernor) today suggested that if the trend in CT hospitalizations continues, he is prepared to lift restrictions on the following:

Restaurants for outdoor dining only, non-essential retail, offices, but still suggests continued working from home, personal services like hair, and nail salons, museums, outdoor recreation, and university research programs,” Handler also said.

Handler also said the list of places that Lamont mentioned during his own daily teleconference press briefing on Thursday, April 30, 2020, and which the lifting of restrictions would apply to were already on a list of places that “we’re listed as likely” to re-open with restrictions in the state on Lamont’s projected date for the re-opening of May 20, (2020).

“I want to emphasize that these segments of the economy were listed as likely to open with restrictions on May 20th, (2020), (if supported by the current trends in CT hospitalizations),” Handler also said.

Handler finished his call for the night by providing information about how small businesses in the town can prepare for the days to come, especially when it comes to protection, and continuing to limit the spread of the virus, the disease it causes, COVID-19, obtaining face masks, and by also giving a reminder about Polymerase Chain Reaction, (PCR), testing for the disease.

Any small business in the town is welcome to stop by the Vine Cottage tomorrow, (Friday, May 1, 2020), between the hours of 12 p.m., and 4 p.m., to pick up a supply of free disposable face masks, Handler also said.

The testing continues to be available at Norwalk,Stamford, and Greenwich Hospitals. In order to secure an appointment, residents who want to be tested for the disease will need a prescription from their personal physician.